Making A Hebrew-English Scroll
Making A Hebrew-English Scroll and what it took for me to create the Hebrew calligraphy.
Playing With Symbols Gives That Zing
You find emojis, computer icons, road signs, logos, and emblems everywhere. They’re a useful eye-catching shorthand for small spaces. And were used in history the same way. Using these time-tested patterns on a scroll inspires the recipient or any viewer really. Symbols like eyes, hearts, hands, arrows, circles still evoke grand meaning. They add depth and detail for the viewer giving language to your art. It puts the zing in your art thing. But when you use a symbol on a scroll today you want to consider its many meanings. What it meant back then and what it means today. Even what it meant to the recipient’s persona and culture. Cute things like rabbits weren’t just furry animals they were fertility symbols. There’re other questions to answer, too. Does the symbol have a unique or specific meaning in the SCA? What message does it send intentionally or unintentionally? And -unfortunately – you also want to know whether that pattern has been taken up by any modern-day bad actors. Manesse Codex pages work well with symbols. In this one the fighter’s heraldic arms on the horse tell you Matthieu Chartrain is the one kneeling and swearing fealty. The red and black color of the lady’s cote hint she is related somehow to the Barony of the Lonely Tower. She is Honnoree de Saussay, famously known for loving peafowl. They’re even on her arms. Besides the peacock in the tree the other […]
Scroll Finishing Touches
Deadline Made – Court Presentation So you finished a scroll, and you’re pleased. You’re also glad. Glad you didn’t have to start completely over. Glad you made it with time to spare before the presentation deadline. But is that all to finishing a gorgeous scroll? What about finishing touches? Getting the finishing touches right can elevate a scroll to something special […]
It’s Clear: My New Way To Secure And Line Your Scroll
Previously I wrote about drawing calligraphy guidelines with a ruler and pencil. It’s one of the two simplest ways you can rule up a scroll page. The other easy way is the one I’ll tell you today. Use Incompetech.com’s free plain graph paper generator and print off the size grid you want. When using the graph generator you have many options. Unless you want to […]
Guide To Blank Border Scroll Creation
M. Rolf Hobart’s blank border entries at the Barony of Mag Mor’s 2017 Cattle Raids. At last falls Cattle Raids event in the Barony of Mag Mor, I was asked by a passing RUSH student, “What are those?” as he pointed to the blank scrolls’ displayed. I admit they might look a bit lost to the scribal-less-aware. So, what are they? […]
Making Lonely Tower’s New Cord Award Scrolls
Mini Scrolls Prior To Illumination Have you ever had calligraphy practice come out of nowhere and fall into your lap? That’s what happened to me recently. With the new Baron and Baroness, Augustin and Aleit, came renewed inspiration for calligraphy and illumination. Their wish was to have a small 5″ x 7″ hand done scroll to go with the first […]
Issabell St. Charles’ Duchy Scroll
Enlarged upper right miniature Project Title: Duchy Scroll for Issabell St. Charles Project Date: January 13, 2018/Coronation Text by: D. Magdalena vander Meere Inspiration for Text: Translation by: Calligrapher: Jehanne Bening Illuminator: Jehanne Bening Measurements: Support: Pergamenata, C and I area 12″ x 16″ Notable Techniques: Flat gilding using Tresser’s gilding size adhesive. Love it. Script: Early Gothic Pens: Mitchell 5 dip pen […]
Size Matters: Giraude Benet’s Laurel Scroll
Project Title: Giraude Benet’s Laurel Scroll Project Date: December 9, 2017 Text by: Malachi von Uri Inspiration for Text: Translation by: Calligrapher: Jehanne Bening Illuminator: Jehanne Bening Measurements: 16 x 20 inches Support: Pergamenata heavyweight natural Notable Techniques: Gilding and interlinear lining. Script: Early/Proto- Gothic Pens: Mitchell 1 mm dip nib and Hunt 512 pointed dip nib Inks: Zig Cartoonist Sumi […]
A Hybrid Scroll Layout
My large grid and the computer text example If you have a large peerage scroll to do what do you use for a grid that’s larger than printer paper? What about if you have two scrolls to do? You could make your own oversized grid. You could use 11×17″ Bristol board and make your own. That’s what I did. The good news is the same […]
Framed, HL Zaneta’s Calon Cross Scroll
This is unique and special. Amy Dreyer, known as Lady Beatrix in Calontir, posted a picture of HL Zaneta Baseggio‘s Calon Cross scroll after she framed it. I never get to see a scroll’s end result. This is fabulous. HL Zaneta Baseggio’s Callon Cross Scroll Framed When I create a scroll, if possible, I want it to fit a standard size frame so the recipient can save money to display it. Amy went extra miles to custom frame Zaneta’s award. The frame itself appears to be a Renaissance-era repeating pattern of gold acanthus leaves. It echoes the border I emulated on the award. She also included a double mat. Amy described her selections to me on our Facebook‘s group SCA Scribes and Illumination: The uppermost mat is a shiny black that looks pitch black under glass, I used it since you had such an intense black on the border … Inside that is a fillet, chosen because the pattern matches the inner lip of the frame. Under that is a green mat board I chose because it blended the best with the color of the foliage… The frame itself was actually the last bit of a discontinued moulding that we had made into a ready made frame … Amy’s thoughtful choices made Zaneta’s scroll into a truly prized work. Thank you. Related Prior Post: HL Zaneta’s Calon Cross Scroll External Related Source The Frame Shop, Ames, Iowa
HL Zaneta’s Calon Cross Scroll
Project Title: Calon Cross Scroll for Zaneta Baseggio Project Date: October 14, 2017/Crown Tournament Text by: HL Saito Takauji Inspiration for Text: ‘The Prince’ by Machiavelli, James 3:13, and the structures of the Venetian government. La Serenissima Regina means ‘most serene Queen’. The mazor consegio was a self-nominating legislative body, and that works as an analogue for the self nominating […]
5 Tips to Make Your Scroll Look Period
Inspired by14th century French manuscripts. I’m on a quest. I constantly search to see the details in illuminated manuscripts to incorporate in my illumination. This started when I first found medieval manuscripts. It’s what enthralled me then and still does. The search is how I learned to make scrolls appear like illuminated medieval manuscripts. Along the way I learned these tips […]
How To Use Heraldry On SCA Scrolls
Bi-lingual Hebrew-English Scroll After calligraphy heraldry is probably the most common motif I include in a scroll. Whether it’s a recipient’s arms, the order’s device or the Calontir banner I use them somewhere. Even if the recipient’s persona came from a culture that didn’t have heraldry. When I receive a scroll assignment I first collect as much information about the recipient as I […]
Why Is Scribal Art Under Appreciated?
Dollars to donuts the scribe is the least appreciated SCA artisan. That doesn’t mean the person receiving the award doesn’t appreciate receiving it and its kudos. But many recipients do not understand or appreciate the work done by the scribe. Award Scroll Presentation Sometimes when a scroll leaves the scribe’s hands and is given in court it’s never seen again. Depending on […]
How To Layout A Scroll
Scroll creation is like cooking. You begin the creative process knowing for whom you want to cook and when you want to serve it. You collect the essential ingredients you want to use, calligraphy, paint, and support. Using medieval sources, you add a pinch of intuition, a dash of inspiration, stir them together hoping for a tasty result. The best […]
Working in Tandem
As I grew as a scribe there was a time my illumination skills outpaced my calligraphy skills. In fact, they still do. Back then I wouldn’t do the calligraphy on a scroll. Fortunately for me my friend HL Astrid, a talented calligrapher, preferred lettering. So we worked together. To begin we understood the work would be done by both of […]
The Stalking Scribe
M. Rolf in stealth mode. I’m a skilled stalking scribe, researching the recipient’s SCA persona and related interests. It scares me how adroit I’ve become. Facebook made this easy. I can snag scroll motifs from the recipient’s photos. Pictures of pets, garb, crafts, family. I no longer have to sneakily talk with their seneschal or friends about their interests. Things […]
An Amusing Iren-Hirth Scroll For Duke Sir Anton Rhaghelan
I’ve been posting information relating to the making of a scroll I can now show. How to Google For Illuminated Manuscript Inspirations, My Battle With Calligraphy, and 5 Tips To Train Your Artist Eye all sprang from my efforts to create this scroll. The scroll is an Iren-Hirth for the Duke Sir Anton Rhaghelan. That alone is special because the […]
6 Scroll Design Tips
I’ve been writing my scroll layout handout for the coming Lonely Tower Scribes’ class. While it’s too detailed for here I thought a few design tips might be appreciated. Picking your inspiration I first choose a medieval style relating to the recipient’s persona or interest. If that’s not possible because time is short and I can’t find that information on […]
What’s An Award Scroll’s Purpose?
In the SCA we devote hours to award creation and giving. Whether entry level or the highest awards , from start to finish, their total creativity hours are in the thousands for each six-month reign. With all that consumed time, what’s their purpose? Their obvious purpose is to acknowledge the recipient’s accomplished efforts. Whether novice or peer, we celebrate together and mark […]
An Itinerant Scribe 